SLB and Shearwater Begin New 3D Seismic Program in Brazilian Waters

Oilfield services giant SLB and marine seismic specialist Shearwater GeoServices have kicked off a new multi-client 3D seismic survey offshore Brazil, according to a report by Marine Technology News.

Multi-client surveys are seismic data campaigns acquired by a contractor or consortium before a specific buyer is lined up. The resulting datasets are then licensed to multiple oil and gas explorers, giving upstream operators a lower-cost way to evaluate a basin’s subsurface geology before committing to exploration drilling. The model is common in hot exploration areas like the Brazilian pre-salt and equatorial margin plays, where competition for acreage keeps demand for high-quality subsurface imagery strong.

3D seismic acquisition involves towing streamers fitted with sensors behind a specialized vessel to map rock formations thousands of meters below the seabed. Modern processing can reveal prospects such as hydrocarbon traps, fault systems, and reservoir-quality sands, which exploration teams use to rank drilling candidates.

Brazil remains one of the world’s most active offshore exploration arenas, driven largely by the deepwater pre-salt province in the Santos and Campos basins, where state-controlled Petrobras and international partners continue to bring large discoveries into production. Seismic contractors have followed that activity closely, and data licensing agreements in the region frequently support acquisition economics before a single well is spudded.

For SLB, the project fits within its broader digital and data portfolio, which the company has positioned alongside its traditional drilling and reservoir services businesses. Shearwater, meanwhile, is one of the few independent players with a fleet capable of large-scale 3D acquisition in deepwater settings.

SLB shares traded at $57.10 in recent action, up about 0.18% from the prior close of $57.00, valuing the company at roughly $84.7 billion.

Neither company disclosed contract financials or a completion timeline in the initial announcement.

What to watch

• Progress updates on the survey’s acquisition phase, including vessel activity and coverage completed.
• Announcements of data licensing agreements with exploration companies active offshore Brazil.
• SLB’s next quarterly earnings report, which may address multi-client library investment and prefunding levels.
• Brazil’s ongoing exploration block auctions and licensing rounds, which drive seismic data demand in the region.

Source: original release